Field of the Invention
The present invention generally concerns ice and water dispensing units and systems for refrigeration appliances, and, in particular, the invention concerns ice and water dispensing units and systems that employ a single paddle operated by a user for dispensing the ice and water.
Discussion of the Prior Art
Refrigeration appliances, such as household refrigerators for example, often are provided with ice and water dispensing systems and units that include dispensing stations at which ice and water can be accessed by users. The dispensing stations can be located at the exteriors of doors that serve to close off the interiors of the refrigeration appliance compartments. In the case of a side-by-side household refrigerator for example, the ice and water dispensing station typically is located at the exterior of the freezer compartment door. On the other hand, in the case of a bottom-mount household refrigerator, that is, a refrigerator in which the freezer compartment is located beneath the fresh food compartment, the ice and water dispensing station typically is located at the exterior of a door at the fresh food compartment.
A variety of mechanisms and arrangements are known for initiating and executing the dispensing of the ice and water from ice-making and ice-storage systems and water sources, respectively, at the dispensing stations of refrigeration appliances. For example, some ice and water dispensing stations include a cavity in the door of the refrigeration appliance and two actuators are mounted in the cavity. One of the actuators causes ice to be dispensed into a receptacle when the receptacle is pressed against the one actuator and the other of the actuators causes water to be dispensed into the receptacle when the receptacle is pressed against the other actuator. In another example, ice and water selection devices such as electrical push buttons or touch screens, for example, are provided at the dispensing station. The ice selection device can be engaged by a user to initiate the delivery of ice to the dispensing station at which the ice can be dispensed into a receptacle that is placed there; and the water selection device can be engaged by a user to initiate the delivery of water to the dispensing station at which the water can be dispensed into a receptacle that is placed there for that purpose. In even other instances, combinations of actuators and selection devices are employed to cause the dispensing of ice and water at the dispensing station.